---
name: "git-fmt-merge-msg"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "git"
version: "2.56.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/git-fmt-merge-msg"
---

# git-fmt-merge-msg(1)

Produce a merge commit message

## NAME

git-fmt-merge-msg - Produce a merge commit message

## SYNOPSIS

```
git fmt-merge-msg [-m <message>] [--into-name <branch>] [--log[=<n>] | --no-log]
git fmt-merge-msg [-m <message>] [--log[=<n>] | --no-log] -F <file>
```

## DESCRIPTION

Takes the list of merged objects on stdin and produces a suitable commit message to be used for the merge commit, usually to be passed as the *\<merge-message\>* argument of *git merge*.

This command is intended mostly for internal use by scripts automatically invoking *git merge*.

## OPTIONS

- \--log\[=\<n\>\]

  In addition to branch names, populate the log message with one-line descriptions from the actual commits that are being merged. At most \<n\> commits from each merge parent will be used (20 if \<n\> is omitted). This overrides the **merge.log** configuration variable.

- \--no-log

  Do not list one-line descriptions from the actual commits being merged.

- \--summary, --no-summary

  Synonyms to --log and --no-log; these are deprecated and will be removed in the future.

- \-m \<message\>, --message \<message\>

  Use \<message\> instead of the branch names for the first line of the log message. For use with **--log**.

- \--into-name \<branch\>

  Prepare the merge message as if merging to the branch *\<branch\>*, instead of the name of the real branch to which the merge is made.

- \-F \<file\>, --file \<file\>

  Take the list of merged objects from \<file\> instead of stdin.

## CONFIGURATION

**merge.branchdesc**

In addition to branch names, populate the log message with the branch description text associated with them. Defaults to false.

**merge.log**

In addition to branch names, populate the log message with at most the specified number of one-line descriptions from the actual commits that are being merged. Defaults to false, and true is a synonym for 20.

**merge.suppressDest**

By adding a glob that matches the names of integration branches to this multi-valued configuration variable, the default merge message computed for merges into these integration branches will omit "into *\<branch-name\>*" from its title.

An element with an empty value can be used to clear the list of globs accumulated from previous configuration entries. When there is no **merge.suppressDest** variable defined, the default value of **master** is used for backward compatibility.

merge.summary

Synonym to **merge.log**; this is deprecated and will be removed in the future.

## EXAMPLES

```
$ git fetch origin master
$ git fmt-merge-msg --log <$GIT_DIR/FETCH_HEAD
```

Print a log message describing a merge of the "master" branch from the "origin" remote.

## SEE ALSO

[**git-merge**(1)](/git-merge/1.md)

## GIT

Part of the [**git**(1)](/git/1.md) suite